MALAYSIA: The question of Israeli nationals entering or living in Malaysia is now the focus of locals on social media, with some accusing the Network School of hosting Israelis.
In response to the reports, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government would expel any Israeli nationals found to be involved in the Network School.
The school is a co-living and co-working community in Forest City, Johor.
“We will investigate. We don’t allow (such activities). If there is, then action will be taken. If there are Israeli citizens, we don’t allow. They will be chased away,” he said yesterday.
Meanwhile, a government Member of Parliament has raised concerns regarding the operations of the Network School in Forest City.
He said this could potentially pose a threat to the international shipping lane in the Strait of Malacca, citing Mossad as an agency that may penetrate the school to spy on the country.
A Pakatan Harapan (PH) member, Hassan Abdul Karim, claimed that with Johor positioned as one of the region’s largest data centre hubs, the Network School could become a national security threat, especially since modern threats now encompass cyber and digital attacks.
“Is the ministry aware of the danger and threat to national security when global-class digital experts and influencers, who have close ties with the illegal Zionist state of Israel and links to the Mossad intelligence agency, [are using the Network School]?
“According to sources I have been informed by, [they] are using the Network School in Forest City to gather data and train recruits, ultimately turning Forest City into their hub, which is located right along the Strait of Malacca route.
“There is a possibility that this will eventually threaten the Strait of Malacca as an international shipping lane specifically, and national security in general,” he said in Parliament.
Bloomberg also reported on the matter, saying Malaysian authorities have launched an immigration probe into a school for technology startups.
It says the probe is launched just months after investor Balaji Srinivasan pitched the educational facility to officials and called for policies to support the project.
The Home Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that it’s conducting a “thorough” investigation into individuals associated with the Network School.
Some individuals are said to have secondary passports, while others may have flouted Malaysian immigration rules based on their entry visas.
Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi also spoke on the matter, saying the state government would not allow any organisation to use the state as a base to spread ideologies that contravened the law or undermined the sovereignty and interests of Johor and Malaysia.
He was speaking about the Network School.
He said there were claims that Israelis, who are barred from entering Malaysia, were among the community’s members.
